On this journey, the most real adventures are waiting for you - the ones you read about in books about brave discoverers and tireless seekers of beauty. During the trip you will find out what secret is hidden Indian Ocean and get to know its inhabitants. Feel the culture of the African tribes and enjoy the local sunsets against the backdrop of the cosmically beautiful deserts of Namibia. Take a ride on a real safari and witness how the most dangerous predators on our planet hunt. You can take selfies with flamingos and spend time in the company of penguins on the ocean.

This is one of our most unforgettable and unpredictable routes.

What will we do on tour

This trip is organized by a small group of up to 8 people and involves meeting and communicating with interesting people.

Here you will find many activities that are extreme (of course, all this is only at will).

Roadtrip is independent travel by car. It is considered one of the best options, as it gives you complete freedom of movement and creates a special atmosphere of the trip.

This format guarantees unforgettable experience and will allow you to see all the best and most interesting places in a way that ordinary tourists will never see.

Gallery

Detailed program

How will the trip go

Day 1. Cape Town

Our journey begins in Cape Town (South Africa) by meeting the whole group over a warm dinner.

Day 2 Cape Town

After an early breakfast, the group will split up: the most daring will go on a shark dive, where they can see the famous jaws from arm's length. For those who do not dare to do this, we suggest going on a sightseeing tour of the city and climbing Table Mountain, where a crazy view opens up. In the evening, everyone will visit wine farms, and after dinner we will have the opportunity to spend time in one of the best visciteries in the country.

Day 3 Cape of Good Hope

Immediately after breakfast, we will go to that narrow piece of land with which the African continent points towards Antarctica. To the Cape of Good Hope. The transfer will pick you up directly from the hotel, and already on the spot we will have a walk along the ocean coast, where we will have the opportunity to watch penguins and fur seals. In the evening you return to the hotel.

Day 4 Windhoek

We will get up early and fly to Windhoek. 3 hours of travel - and you are in the very big city Namibia. At the airport you will pick up the cars on which the journey will continue. A colorful roadtrip across Namibia awaits you to Sossusvlei, where along the way you will stop to walk through the desert dunes. In the evening, after dinner, you will enjoy stunning views in the middle of the desert and a night at the lodge in anticipation of the most photogenic places on the planet.

Day 5 Sossusvlei

You will meet the morning in the middle of the desert - as far as possible from civilization. We will go to national park, where we will spend the whole day in the most picturesque desert dunes of Namibia. You will visit the Dead Valley, famous for petrified camel acacia trees. See the most popular and visited of the Namibian dunes - the famous dune number 45. In the evening we return to the lodges. Get ready - dinner will be held under the most starry sky in your life.

Day 6-7. - Sossuflei - Swakopmund

Early breakfast - and again on the road. On the way to Swakopmund, we will stop at the Tropic of the Scorpion and Moon Valley, the landscapes here are very reminiscent of lunar craters and seas. Upon arrival in Swakopmund, leaving your luggage at the hotel, go to the museum of one of the largest crystals in the world, and then for dinner at the best place cities serving the freshest, morning catch, seafood. The next day you will have a trip to Sandwich Dunes, a boat trip with the opportunity to watch dolphins and a trip to Walvis Bay. In the evening you have rest and free time.

Day 8 Himba

​After an early breakfast, we set off on an adventure. Our path will pass along the Skeleton Coast to Cape Cross, where you will have the opportunity to walk along the coast in the company of fur seals. ​Next, we are on our way to the village of the Himba tribe in order to see with our own eyes how the tribe lives, carefully preserving the traditions of its ancestors. How they get water, how they teach their children, how they react to changes in the vast world that surrounds them. After that, you will be able to touch a distant history, you will have the opportunity to see with your own eyes cave drawings Bushmen. In the evening you will go to the hotel where you will spend the night in the middle of wildlife.

Day 9-10. Etosha Park and Irindi

A day we will spend in one of the largest national parks in Namibia. Endangered animals can be seen in the Etosha National Park. On the safari, which will take place in the evening of the same day, you can see herds of valley and mountain zebras, giraffes, blue wildebists, lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, jackals, eared foxes, warthogs, badgers, ground squirrels. The next day in the morning we will go on another unforgettable safari in Irindi. All the Big Five African animals that live in a relatively small area of ​​the reserve are waiting for you.

Day 11 Windhoek

Today you go to Windhoek Airport, check in your cars, say goodbye to all participants and fly home happy, full of emotions.

Included in cost

• Accommodation in 3-4 * hotels, conveniently located along the entire route
• Air flight Cape Town-Windhoek
• Off-Road Car Rentals in Namibia
• Russian-speaking guide throughout the route
• 2 days safari in Namibia
• cape Good Hope
• lion mountain
• Tribes of Africa
• Transfers
• Boat trip with dolphins
• Online logistics support
• Unforgettable adventures

Price not included

• International flight at the beginning of the trip and at the end of the trip
• Nutrition
• Fuel for a car in Namibia

Flights

Guest Requirements

Driving license preferred (but optional)

Additional services

Additional 2 days to Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls and Johannesburg

• Shark diving | Price: $500

Travel expert

This person created this route for you. He knows all the secrets and features of this journey, from beginning to end.

Traveling is his lifestyle. He feels true love for active and extreme travel. Traveled to almost every continent.

This continent has certainly attracted many of you since childhood. Ancient tribes, wild animals, unique nature and familiar words - Kalahari, Zanzibar, Serengeti. All this is Africa. Unfortunately, as much as this continent is tempting, it also scares away travelers. Disease, crime, danger of being eaten. These horror stories were also instilled in us from an early age, but fortunately, not all of them are true. In this article, we will tell you how to independently organize a trip to the most popular African countries, what you must do before the trip, how much to take with you and what you should really be afraid of.

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Let's start with preparing for the trip.

A trip to Africa: about diseases

Yellow fever

Most African countries require a yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter. Muscovites can be vaccinated free of charge at the City Polyclinic No. 5 at the address: 107052, Moscow, st. Trubnaya, 19, building 1 on a first-come, first-served basis. You will need a passport with a residence permit and an insurance policy.

Those who do not have a residence permit can get vaccinated at the following addresses:

• GKUZ Infectious Clinical Hospital No. 1Address: 195367, Moscow, Volokolamskoe shosse, 63

  Tel.: +7 495 942-48-39

  Price - 810 rubles

• GBUZ City polyclinic No. 5 Address: 107052, Moscow, st. Trubnaya, 19, building 1Tel.: +7 495 621-94-65

  Fax: +7 495 621-15-28

  Price - 1700 rubles

• Vaccination point No. 6 of the Federal State Budgetary Institution Polyclinic No. 1 of the Executive Office of the President of the Russian FederationAddress: 119002, Moscow, Sivtsev Vrazhek lane, 26/28Tel.

  Price - 2550 rubles

Malaria

Yellow fever is not a real threat. Much worse things are with malaria. There is no vaccination against her, and therefore you will have to buy preventive tablets such as Chloroquine (Delagil). You need to start taking two weeks before the trip and two weeks after. But remember that all antimalarial drugs have a large number of side effects, and therefore it is better to avoid their use.

In fact, according to the experience of our colleague, there are practically no mosquitoes during the day, and in the evening you need to use repellent and wear long-sleeved clothes. If you do not neglect these rules, then nothing terrible will happen.

Visas to African countries

Russian citizens in most African countries require a visa, but we are talking about popular tourist countries, so we will focus on a few.

• Kenya. A visa must be issued in advance at the embassy, ​​the cost is $ 50. Usually obtaining a Kenyan visa does not cause any difficulties, but they can stick a stamp exactly on the dates of the trip, so be careful.
• Tanzania.
• Uganda. A visa is issued upon arrival, the cost is $ 50 for three months.
• Zambia. A visa is issued upon arrival, the cost is $ 50 for one month.
• Zimbabwe. A visa is issued upon arrival, the cost is $ 30 for one month.
• Botswana. Visa is not needed.
• Namibia. Visa is not needed.

Visa to South Africa

From March 30, 2017, Russians can travel to South Africa without a visa for up to 90 days. Before that, you had to pay $30 for a visa.

What to bring with you

1. Repellent (local good products cost 3-4 times more than in Russia).
2. Powerful sunscreen (equatorial sun does not sleep).
3. Discreet clothing (preferably khaki or sandy, women should not go in short skirts).
4. Headwear (panama or baseball cap).
5. Insurance.

myths

1. I will go to Africa and get Ebola. Not true. All of the above countries do not and have never had the Ebola virus.
2. Africa is a wild, uncivilized place. Not true. Africa has good internet, inexpensive mobile connection, a huge number of restaurants for tourists and hundreds of hostels and hotels for every taste.
3. It's expensive to fly to Africa, I'll go broke on tickets. Not true. Very often you can buy tickets from, and at the price of tickets to Asia.
4. In Africa, I will be killed, raped and robbed (in that order) as soon as I leave the airport. No, it's not. Need to be careful in major cities, especially in the capitals, since it is there that everyone who wants easy money gathers. The measures are the most common: be careful, do not wave your camera or iPhone over your head, do not go into the slums. In general, the inhabitants of these countries are very, very friendly, you can fearlessly turn to them on the street for help, calmly get into a taxi. But there is one “but” - you are a tourist, which means you are money. This is especially true in African countries. Be prepared for constant beggars, helpers, sellers of everything (and they don’t understand the words “don’t need, don’t want, no money”) and other annoying, but not dangerous people.

What is a must see in Africa and how much does it cost?

Safari in Tanzania

Entrance to the national park - 40-50 dollars. But we must not forget that if you go to the Serengeti Park, you will also have to pay for the Ngorongoro Crater, and twice. And the safari itself will take at least two days, so you have to pay twice for the Serengeti.

Why are you going to Africa? People really didn’t understand why spend money on some incomprehensible Kenya and Tanzania, when the Dominican Republic, Maldives and Thailand were already open, explored and equipped for a comfortable stay a long time ago. I would be glad not to reinvent the wheel, but I could not. I have been zombified since childhood. And the BBC (in the sense of the British Broadcasting Corporation, not the Air Force) and Nikolai Nikolaevich Drozdov are to blame for everything.

Photos and text by Yakov Oskanov1. Like many (I want to believe that I'm not alone) boys of my childhood, I liked to watch the TV program "In the Animal World". One of the broadcasts showed a BBC film about the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. I tried to find this film on the net, yes, apparently, no luck. I don't remember the movie at all. I remember only the final shots, where a herd of hippos runs into the lake in the early morning and the voice of Nikolai Nikolaevich: “Hippos are returning to their native element.” If someone does not know, then no one drove the hippos out of there, they just graze at night, and in the morning they hide from the heat in the water. But it was filmed so cool and edited with such pathos music that it seemed as if the hippos had been wandering the desert for twenty years and finally found their Promised Water.

I still remember my mother, sharing her impressions of the film with me, she said that, perhaps, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro - real paradise for the zoologist. I still believe that all zoologists who behaved well in life end up in the Serengeti after death. And the most righteous are in Ngorongoro. In those years, I still dreamed of becoming (and dying) a zoologist, and therefore for me Tanzania began to personify the quintessence of everything unrealizable, where I wanted to. I never became a zoologist, but Ngorongoro remained a beacon of childhood dreams in my hardened adult soul.

1. Let's fly

The fact that I did not become a zoologist has its pluses. The boring routine work that I do has allowed me to earn funds for a trip to the blessed lands of the African savannas. Despite the fact that both Ngorongoro and the Serengeti are in Tanzania, it was decided to visit Kenya as well. Firstly, because two countries are more interesting to visit than one, and secondly, rhinos. Yes, you didn't think so. I wrote exactly "rhinoceros". Someone loves sexy brunettes, someone likes Burgundy wine DRC Romanée Conti of 1934, someone likes cars a-la Lamborghini Aventador, but God made me fall in love with the thick-skinned megafauna of tropical countries. Those. I like all big animals. Not in taste, of course, but in appearance. Not in the way that people like sports cars, and certainly not in the way that men (and some women, too) like sexy brunettes. I just love watching these powerful giants. There are three animals in Africa that I wanted to see the most: elephant, rhinoceros and hippopotamus. True, it turned out that in the time that had flown by since I watched that memorable program “In the Animal World”, Africa had significantly spent on rhinos. Only black rhinos remained in Tanzania, and even then - a few. But it turned out that in Kenya there is a national park where white rhinos are bred. And so what? That's right - we decided to add Kenya to our route. Moreover, a hundred miles is not a hook for a rabid dog.

2. Great Rift Valley. It contains all the national parks of Kenya and Tanzania that interest us.

3. I will note right away that not all of our company dreamed of seeing rhinos since childhood. For these people, I prepared a dessert - beach holiday on Zanzibar sung by Chukovsky. The sea, palm trees, sun loungers and freshly squeezed pineapple juice - this is the carrot that I had to hang in front of everyone who was not ready to endure a week-long race through the African savannas. The result is the following route, on the basis of which I plan to write a number of essays.

4. We arrived in Nairobi early in the morning, but did not stop by the city itself. I didn't want to waste time looking at urban landscapes. Our first stop was Lake Nakuru National Park. This is the place where white rhinos meet white people. By the way, this perfect place. We immediately fell in love with it, and we - with him. We met Rhinos. And a bonus to them and Rothschild giraffes, and a leopard. The guide said we were lucky. We didn't argue.

6. On the way to the Masai Mara National Park, we stopped at Lake Naivasha. For lovers of bird photography, this place is definitely a godsend. I have never seen such an abundance of birds anywhere. It seems that all the water birds of the world flock to this lake in order to watch photographers in their (photographers') natural habitat. In two hours, I ran out of flash cards, despite the fact that I deleted unsuccessful pictures right on the spot.

8. Then we arrived in the Masai Mara, and he charmed us. Unfortunately, our car broke down there, so the essay will contain a lot of thoughts about boredom, loneliness and the endless African steppes. I swore, threatened, asked, exhorted - all in vain. The car was not fixed until the evening. With animals in the national park is much better than with mechanics and spare parts. It was the most embarrassing moment of our trip. If only because this day can not be compensated in any way. The program was designed in such a way that it was necessary to move on. On the other hand, there is a motive to return to the Masai Mara again. But we managed to shoot something.

9. What is the Masai Mara without the Masai?

Then we went to Tanzania. We passed the border, transferred to a Tanzanian car, and headed for the Serengeti. Yes, yes, the very one where hippos run in the morning into their native element. What do you say? If you love nature even a little, then in the Serengeti you will be seized by sacred ecstasy, you can be sure. It's beautiful, very beautiful and the feeling of beauty around you is just intoxicating. You find yourself inside the scenery for the cartoon "The Lion King". By the way, we even drove past the Pride Rock, from which we drew the rock on which the lions lived in the cartoon.

10. Met Pumbaa's wife.

11. Bent wildebeest ...

12. You can bend this fig. Even lions are afraid of him.

But the most indescribable impression of the trip is spending the night in the middle of the savannah. Camping, campfire and wild savannah outside the circle outlined by the fire. There are no reflections of distant cities, no noise, only stars, flames and sounds of nature.

13. Our camp. View from our tent.

14. Dawn in the savannah.

Then our path lay in Ngorongoro, but on the way we decided to stop by the Olduvai Gorge. The place is quite interesting. And for anthropologists, and in general - a cult. The fact is that it was here, according to a large number of scientists, that a branch of primates was formed, which later gave life to the species Homo sapiens, one of whose representatives is now writing these lines.15. Olduvai Gorge.

When we drove up to the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater, we just cursed with delight for about five minutes. Even those who went to Tanzania for Zanzibar. The scale of the titanic crater was amazing! We took some memorable photos and left for the hotel for the night. We spent the whole day in this wonderful place. For me personally, this was the highlight of the trip. Then the impressions went downhill. But that doesn't mean it was completely boring.

16. Panorama of the crater.

17. Typical landscape inside the crater.

18. Well, what about an essay about Africa without an elephant?

19. There is a small rainforest in the crater

20. Then we arrived in Arusha and flew to Zanzibar. The flight passed without incident. And thank God! Flying adventures are not my thing. On the glorious island of Zanzibar, I also had plans. If someone thinks that I am able to lie on the beach for a whole week, then he is mistaken. My maximum is two days in a row of a beach holiday. And then with the condition that the beach will be picturesque, or there will be coral reef in shallow water, where you can swim with a mask, or rather in a mask. No, not in the Venetian carnival.

I honestly endured for two days, and then dragged the whole company to Stone Town - the only city in Zanzibar. I knew that this is an old colonial fort, which is one of the objects World Heritage and protected by UNESCO. To be honest, it doesn't matter if it's guarded. Everything entrusted to the Zanzibar people cultural heritage- in a deplorable state. After the Sri Lankan Galle, Stone Town seems like a dump. However, in some places it is really a dump. But colorful. Fans of genre photography would be stuck in it like flies in molasses.

22. "Shipyard" in Zanzibar.

23. Fish market.

Nearby is the Island of Prisoners. There are no prisoners there for a long time, but there are giant turtles. In fair quantities. Available at arm's length. The highlight for me was, of course, the Jozani Rainforest. Firstly, in principle, it is not often that I happen to be in the rainforest. And secondly, there you can take pictures of rare endemic colobuses, and to be precise, Kirk's red colobuses. The colobuses (thank you, dear ones!) did not disappoint and allowed themselves to be properly captured on camera. I wanted to persuade others to night tour jungle (to see nocturnal primates), but was sent in unison. I did not want to go into the forest at night. If only because I have a rather expensive camera and lens with which it is unreasonable to wander alone in wild places with a low standard of living.

24. Portrait of a colobus.

And we also gathered to see the mangrove forest. And even swam to him. But stuck in the middle of the ocean. Yes, and on a fragile canoe, hollowed out in a solid tree trunk. This is worth a separate essay, especially since I made a video. There will be something to laugh at.

25. It is not surprising to run aground at low tide.

The days flew by quickly, I managed to scuba dive, take pictures of the surrounding area, visit the famous Rock restaurant. At the end of the beach holiday frankly bored and already wanted to go home.

26. The famous restaurant "The Rock".

27. I dreamed of quickly downloading photos to a computer and writing essays. Here is my dream come true. To be honest, I feel a bit empty now. I really didn’t want to go anywhere as much as to Tanzania. But it's nothing. I will study the world, by the way, I have not been to America at all. Neither North nor South.

Well, in the meantime, I will dream of hippos in their native element - in the Serengeti ...

Having traveled 8 countries of West Africa and gained some knowledge about this region, I decided to collect in one place general considerations about traveling along it. In general, some of these theses will apply to the entire Western and Central Africa, and some - and in general to the entire continent.

1. Let's be honest. Traveling around Africa, and especially along its western ledge, is, to put it mildly, not easy and strong for an amateur. If you have never been anywhere before, then Africa is definitely not the place to go. There are more than enough reasons for this.

2. I visited the following countries: Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast. To some extent, the content of this post applies to all these countries with the exception of Morocco - this is a state does not fit into the general African trend at all, being much more civilized, interesting and convenient for travel... Well, it is known that Morocco is Africa purely geographically.

3. Is Africa terrible? Yes Yes Yes! Almost any African population is unsettled in any way, and besides, it is overflowing with garbage and dirt. A day's walk in an African city is sometimes comparable in terms of the amount of dirt and germs received to a visit to a city dump somewhere in Europe, Russia, or Latin America. Washing here, on average, is 1.5-2 times more often than in other parts of the world.

4. Household unsanitary conditions. If you do not have the opportunity to wash and sanitize your hands regularly (and in Africa you usually will not), then you are at risk. Insidious microbes are waiting for you.

5. Prices. Africa is a very expensive region to travel. For an uninformed person, it will seem strange that poor countries, where 80% live below the poverty line, can be expensive, but everything is logical here. Very little is produced here other than food (and food is often imported from Europe or neighboring African countries), and terrible logistics, terrible roads, customs fees make most of the goods that we are used to, which are an integral part of our life, insanely expensive.

6. Motto of Africa: "Long and poor quality! But expensive". Be prepared for the fact that hotels, transport, catering and much more - this is the provision of shitty quality services at prices close to European ones. Something decent (which will also not be without jambs) can be found, in principle, but the prices will be generally cosmic.

7. Local population. In general, I heard the saying that "if you are not already a racist, you simply have not been in Africa for long." I didn’t become a racist, I don’t care that all people are equal, but, frankly, blacks sometimes piss catastrophically. His meticulous obsession, tactlessness, laziness.

8. Everything in Africa is organized ugly, chaotically. Do not plan too many things in one day, you still won’t have time to do them, or you won’t be able to do them. Always prepare for the fact that there will be delays and inconsistencies along your route, always lay extra time for them.

9. About that, I already wrote. What was written referred, however, mainly to not quite black Mauritania, but still. Let me repeat the key point:

Africa is a difficult continent. Africa teaches you to be tolerant of dirt, teaches you to overcome your traditional physical aversion to many things, kills excessive disgust, leaving only cold prudence: can this or that thing really damage health, or not. But the main thing is not even that ... Africa constantly puts before you the question: who you really are, and makes you prove your convictions in practice.

And now I will add the following. White, by definition, a rich snickering mister, a bag of money, which is obliged to share with poor blacks for every sneeze. You come across deceit, overpricing, begging, selling all sorts of unnecessary things and services here several times more often than in all other countries of the 3rd world.

10. Naturally, representatives of official services (policemen, border guards) are prone to the same extortion of money, sometimes active, sometimes cautious (but here I was lucky, I only encountered this a couple of times). Ordinary citizens will simply want money, for example, for taking pictures of them, but children simply for the fact that you met them.

11. Is Africa dangerous? Yes Yes Yes! The list of problems that can happen here is incomparable with any other country. The main danger, perhaps, is tropical diseases, primarily malaria.

12. Actually, this is not a question to be trifled with. Almost all of Africa is "infected" (with the exception of the extreme south and north). But malaria has different forms and levels of its spread. In West Africa, just the most terrible form of Plasmodium Falciparum is common, from which you can die within a few days if you do not start treatment on time. Therefore, you have to think about protection from malaria-carrying mosquitoes all the time!

13. It might not be so terrible if malaria were the only natural danger in Africa. But alas, there is more than enough of all sorts of nasty things here: ebola, hepatitis, dysentery. However, real danger Ebola, I believe, is greatly exaggerated, the chance of encountering it is minimal (it is common only in the Guinea region), but everything else may well happen if precautions are not taken. I'm not talking about AIDS and all sorts of venereal diseases yet (but this is true for those who love all sorts of adventures on local representatives of the opposite sex). Yes, it’s quite possible to get poisoned by low-quality food here.

14. Another problem is anthropogenic. Africa is the most turbulent continent in terms of all sorts of political perturbations. Coup d'état, civil wars, separatism, rebels are here in every second country. Of course, the real danger of getting caught in a shootout is minimal: most likely, if, suddenly, it happens Civil War, you will find out about it, and simply will not go to this country. But all this translates into increased suspicion of the special services, spy-phobia, document checks, brain blows for taking pictures of something “strategic”.

15. But. The main thing, however, is not this. All these difficulties could be experienced if there was a reason for it. And here we come to the main problem: there is not much to see in West Africa!

16. Let's analyze this point in detail. There are no interesting cities in Africa outside of the northern Arab countries in principle! Well, that is, of course, there is something, the same Dakar is interesting in some way, and even in the provincial Ouagadougou you can find a lot of interesting things, a number of cities with colonial buildings can be found all over the mainland. But these are clearly not the cities for which it’s worth going there, it’s worth it, perhaps, to look in passing if you happen to be in those parts.

17. ancient ruins meet, and right here in West Africa! Some are even listed by UNESCO. But, objectively, there are not very many of them, and even now a significant part of them are located in the territories controlled by the rebels.

18. Nature. This, perhaps, is the main reason why people go to Africa in general. But here, too, there is an ambush. First, the most interesting nature, nevertheless, in East Africa, and partly in the South. In the West, everything is much sadder and more monotonous. And, secondly, no matter how interesting places are located in the territories of national parks, where the entrance costs space money, access is possible only by transport, with a guide, etc.

19. After all, it is so logical: since rich white misters are ready to pay a lot of money for a safari, then why not take them from them. The fact that not all whites are equally rich does not occur to Africans, especially since the poor practically do not get there (although, I believe that even if it came to them, little would change).

20. In West Africa, if you wish, you can see elephants, crocodiles, lions, hippos and monkeys. Well, that is, the very animals with which Africa has been associated with us since childhood. But for this, you will have to spend a lot of time and, especially, money, without any guarantee that you will meet the animals you are looking for. We multiply the equation by the quality of the African service, which in this case cannot be avoided in any way (situations are quite real when lazy guides lie and smoke bamboo for half of the paid time) and calculate the ratio of costs to the impressions received.

21. In general, the problem of the availability of wildlife in Africa is quite acute. I think that it is worthwhile to attend to the development of a technology for entering national parks bypassing posts and imposed guides, or minimizing their harm. Here, however, you automatically encounter the problem of transport, which also needs to be solved somehow. Because even if visiting the national park without it is not prohibited, this does not negate the need to move around a rather vast territory. How? Of course, there is no public transport there, it takes a very long time to walk on foot, it is difficult and inefficient. Well, you need to somehow get to the park itself, and they are always away from civilization. In the same West Africa, the entrance fees themselves are not very high, but the main costs will be for guides and transport.

22. However, West African parks are considered less interesting than East African ones. The animals are smaller here, it is more difficult to meet him, only they are cheaper, the only advantage. I have never been to any national park (with the exception, perhaps, of Abuko Park in the Gambia, but it is tiny, you can completely bypass it in an hour). Although, probably, for the sake of scientific knowledge, it would be worth visiting one of them.

23. What to say West Africa is not the region where you want to visit a second time. This does not mean that you regret the first, on the contrary, it is very interesting to see all this. So, out of 8 countries, only two have called for a second time, the first and the last: Morocco and Côte d'Ivoire. I wrote about Morocco, but Côte d'Ivoire attracts me by the fact that I never saw its capital Yamoussoukro with the largest temple in the world. Well, in general, it is somehow more positive there than in other countries.

24. In general, of course, it is even convenient. In fact, I liked the vast majority of countries before, and I would visit almost all of them again. But this is not so easy, especially if they are far away! But there are also unvisited countries, of which there are even more. It turns out that the process is generally endless, and almost the whole world will always be in sight. And then, finally, there are countries where you no longer need to go.

25. Another such moment. There are no cool "chips" in African countries. Well, just what nostalgia for the country appears upon returning. Some special food, drinks, establishments, some aesthetic moments like carpets, local music. In most countries of the world, these chips are: falafels in the Middle East, lagman and pilaf in Central Asia, tajine in Morocco, hamams in Turkey, teahouses in China, meat in Mongolia, mate in Argentina, salsa and tango in the same place, samba and other groovy pop music in Brazil, etc. Well, that is, not necessarily food, but such pleasant little things that are an integral part of everyday life, which you always remember with such warmth, and if you find yourself in the country, you always go after them first. There is nothing like this in Africa! Life here is as simple and primitive as possible. The food, in principle, is not very tasty and quite expensive, instant coffee and tea in 100-gram cups from drinks, the music here is generally primitive and disgusting - nasty dull pop stuff, and playing the afro-drums is rare and, in general, difficult to perceive. Therefore, there is nothing left to miss here when you return home.

27.
- If you are sensitive to dirt, poor living conditions, terrible service, if comfort and coziness are important to you, do not go to West Africa!
- If traveling is a priority for you, this is interesting cities with rich cultural program, don't go to West Africa.
- If you are a travel lover beautiful nature: walking in the mountains, rafting along the rivers, wandering through the jungle - do not go to West Africa (the jungle, though in a reduced form, is still in the countries of the Gulf of Guinea).
- If you like relaxed travel, relaxation and downshifting, wallowing on the beach, then do not go to Africa in principle (in any!). Although, objectively speaking, there are enough European downshifters even in West African countries.

28. But who should really go to ZA is
- lovers of all rare semi-wild peoples.
- fans of the proletarian, rural and very simple life, not bothering with comfort.
- geographers, geoproctologists and "collectors" of countries.
- adventurers, adventurers, everything new and unusual.

29. But still, I feel that my story turned out to be completely gloomy, that this is some kind of asshole of the world, so it’s impossible not to highlight positive sides African reality. The main thing is that, in spite of everything, it is quite possible to travel here! It's not so trashy here, it's terrible, it's impossible to live. There are numerous everyday difficulties, but, in general, there is nothing here that would require some kind of incredible heroism. Perhaps it is in Central Africa. And here, you go to yourself and you go.

30. Security. This is a very pleasant aspect, especially for travelers in Latin America. Indeed, most African countries are quite calm and peaceful. Yes, you will be harassed with requests and begging for money, but violent cases of taking it away are extremely rare here. And outside major cities like Cape Town, Lagos or Nairobi, it's quite calm here. Even in Dakar and Abidjan you feel much calmer than, say, in Rio or Medellin. In other places, in general, you can safely walk through all sorts of homeless slums without fear of raking any problems there.

31. coloring. That's what, but this at least "well .. eat." The reality here is so bright and varied that it completely compensates for the absence of any interesting objects. These are aunts in all sorts of afro dresses, wearing giant bales on their heads, and minibuses hung with all sorts of bags on three sides, or with goats on the roofs, and markets where sometimes the real Babylon reigns, and donkeys with sheep grazing opposite luxury hotels. In Africa, you will often sing the song "I know for sure: the impossible is possible."

32. In Africa, elements of all sorts of ancient tribal cultures have been preserved, it’s really possible to see any ancient tribal rites here, moreover, they are carried out not for the amusement of tourists, but according to traditions. Or simply even all sorts of dances or holidays in the countryside are in themselves something unique that you will never forget.

33. Rites and holidays, by the way, the second weighty reason to go to Africa in principle. But here, as with national parks, everything is very difficult and there are many pitfalls. Firstly, in order to get to a wedding, holiday or ceremony, you need to know where and when they take place, and then somehow get there. In cities, of course, you will not find such brightness, although it happens, interesting weddings are also held on the outskirts. Secondly, it is desirable to make sure that this is a real ritual, and not a show for tourists, under which they sometimes mow down. The problem is that the line between the first and second categories is very blurred, they can be dealt with by the same people at different times, and sometimes the presence of a tourist can simply stimulate it earlier (financially, of course). Those. they would have held it anyway, but not when you arrived, but after a week or two. And it’s not clear how to relate to this - on the one hand, everything seems to be authentic anyway, on the other hand, you brought your influence into the existence of this society and somewhat violated its usual way of life. In general, be that as it may, but such a study of African ethnography will require gigantic preliminary preparation. The majority is unlikely to bother with this, and then it remains only to hope that they will be lucky to meet something of this kind by chance, as it happened to me in the Gambia.

34. And so the aforementioned coloring of ordinary life is very impressive. I’m even afraid that after what I’ve seen here, there won’t be much to stick around like that. Already in Latin America and the Middle East, it is much less pronounced.

35. But over time you get used to it. And then, taking into account all the negative aspects described above, it becomes really boring and dreary if you don’t find or do anything interesting. So it happened to me towards the end of the trip, when Africa really got me, I really wanted to go home. Because it's been the same thing for a month now.

36. Unpredictability and adventure. Be that as it may, no matter how you go to Africa (whether civil or wild), no matter what you focus on (whether cities or national parks), your journey will be full of surprises, surprises, pleasant and not very, but definitely an integral part of the journey.

But in general?

37. Well, you probably ask: you didn’t like it? Why, then, was it necessary to go to this hole of the world at all? I will say that, in principle, I try not to operate with the categories “like” / “dislike”. In any case, they are not decisive. I'm interested in everything, and it doesn't have to be pleasant. I'm interested in life in Argentina, I'm going there and I like it there. I’m interested in life in Mali, I’m going there and, for example, I don’t like it there, but I have already received knowledge about Mali, and that’s enough for me.

38. Will I go to Africa again, and in particular to West Africa? Yeah, that would be nice. I probably won’t waste time on the countries I visited, but there are still many others left: Guinea, Liberia, Togo-Benin, Niger, etc. It would also be interesting to see them, and the experience of traveling around the region will allow me to better prepare for these countries.

39. Heard from a colleague Alexander Volkov ( wolfgrel ) the thesis that Africa does not leave anyone indifferent. Only some, having arrived here, turn up their noses and swear that "no more feet", while others simply go crazy about this continent, rave about it, and they are pulled and pulled again by Africa to return. Apparently I am a rare person who ended up in the middle and my attitude here is quite moderate: I’m not going to go crazy in Africa, but I would like to come here somehow, and more than once. However, it is absolutely true here that Africa did not leave me indifferent. In terms of the power of impressions, this trip outshines most of the previous ones. Just the mathematical expectation of aspects that affect the desire to come back a little above zero somewhere :)

40. Whatever you say, Africa causes a lot of emotions, Africa is a constant drama. It may be hard for you here, disgusting, disgusting, but it won’t be boring for sure, well, at least at first. Therefore, if you are able to experience all the difficulties that are in it, and also if this emotional aspect of the journey is important for you in the first place, you will definitely not regret that you have come here.

We are so accustomed to European comfort and service that the idea that on vacation you will have to protect yourself from deadly insects and carefully study local procedures in order to return home unharmed, terrifies travelers from big cities. Vladimir Churkin traveled to a dozen “decent” countries, but having visited Africa twice, he said that the impressions of meeting with lions, elephants, flamingos, hyraxes and colobuses in their natural environment are worth all the hardships and dangers that await along the way.

Safety

What you need to know when going to Africa? The first and most important thing is to get vaccinated. In Africa, it is unlikely that someone will ask you to show a certificate, but they must be done for your own safety.

Vaccinations against yellow fever, tetanus and typhoid are required. But there are no vaccinations for the most dangerous diseases that you can pick up there, malaria and sleeping sickness.

Therefore, upon arrival, you need to look at the pharmacy, what medicines and antibiotics can cure sleeping sickness and malaria, and buy them right on the spot.

Just as not all malaria-carrying mosquitoes carry malaria, tsetse flies whose bite causes sleeping sickness may not infect you. Three of us were bitten by flies, but, fortunately, everything worked out. Just pay close attention to your well-being, because sleeping sickness at first is very similar to a cold.

By the way, in Africa it is not recommended to wear white and black: these colors attract tsetse flies. It is better to walk in something yellow, red or blue. It is also advisable not to wear flip-flops, but to walk in high army boots because of the abundance of snakes, scorpions and all sorts of unpleasant living creatures under your feet. Exception - tourist places where you can afford lighter clothing. Plan your route carefully, but be prepared for the fact that everything can go topsy-turvy if a car breaks down on the road, as it did with us. In Africa there is no winter and summer, there is a dry season and a rainy season. Most the best time for a trip - in the off-season, when there is a lot of greenery and animals. This is the end of February - March, or in autumn, in October-November.

About transport

We traveled in a large company, took three jeeps without guides and escorts, and traveled around African countries on our own. I was pleasantly surprised by the uninterrupted cellular. Phones worked everywhere, even in the most remote corners. Sometimes, however, the SMS service was not available, but this is not the most necessary option on the way.

For those who are traveling for the first time and are afraid of extreme sports, you can take a car with a guide. In general, among those who travel to Africa, everyone, as a rule, is ready for extreme sports. If a person has a love for strong emotions in his blood, then he will like Africa. If he is used to comfort and safety, then, definitely, it is better not to go there.

It is better not to travel around Africa at night: if the nights are cold, numerous animals go to the road for the night to bask on the warm asphalt, so there are a lot of animals on the road. In the early morning, condensation accumulates on the pavement, high humidity is created, which attracts thirsty animals, they come to the road and drink from puddles.

At night, it is also difficult to see large animals on the road. An elephant, for example, is not visible at all, since the headlights of a car do not reflect it. It can be seen only twenty meters away, as in the well-known phrase that the elephant is the easiest thing to miss. By the way, a “kenguryatnik” is fixed on the bumper of all local trucks to soften the blow from a collision with an elephant.

It may happen that the car breaks down on the way. We lost almost a day while the locals were fixing the car, and in the end we had to go to the place of lodging for the night. This is dangerous not only because of the animals, but also because the traffic in many African countries is not right-handed, but left-handed. And if out of habit you go to the right, you can get into the oncoming lane. In addition, local truck drivers like to shine with high-beam headlights. I suspect that this is either a strange feature of the local greeting on the road, or they warn of danger in this way.

About housing

The most convenient option is to book lodges, small houses with all amenities, gathered together in a protected area. Along with this, lodges are also the most expensive type of accommodation, especially in national parks, where their cost can reach up to $ 250 per night in a single room. At the same time, you still have to pay for entry into the national park.

Before the trip, we carefully researched all possible accommodation options, so the lodge we stayed at for $70 for two was more of a miracle.

On our second trip, we rented three jeeps with tents attached to them, and slept only in tents, on campsites, the best of which are in South African countries - South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. You will have to pay about 100 dollars for entering the territory of the campsites. It is impossible to sleep in cars, and not at all because of the lack of amenities, but because of the strongest hum of mosquitoes.

Just imagine - the squeak of one mosquito sometimes does not let you fall asleep, then there are whole hordes of them. If you don't close the windows, you can suffocate.

About food

Perhaps the brightest gastronomic discovery with us happened in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, in one of the most famous restaurants in the world - Carnivore, famous for its meat dishes.

The menu there is more like a guide to a safari park: giraffe, antelope, wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, ostrich, buffalo, crocodile. In general, there is definitely nothing for vegetarians to do there. The kitchen is designed as an open hearth in the center of the establishment, making cooking part of the attraction.

We tried crocodile meat there. Looks and smells like fish but tastes like chicken. In Kenya back in the 70s, a hunting ban was introduced, so the animals are specially bred on the ranch before being sent to the plates of sophisticated meat eaters.

And in Africa you can try "monkey brains". The name itself is terrible, but everything is much more harmless. This is just a fruit that looks like an orange, only larger. In Namibia, a local merchant sold these fruits along the road. At first we took them for oranges, but breaking the hard shell, we found a viscous gray-brown mass resembling a brain. The contents tasted like baked apples. We have never met these fruits outside of Africa.

In fact, there were no particular problems with food: there are many shops on busy roads. It is better to take something that does not spoil for a long time. We only had a refrigerator in one of the cars. Be sure to buy as much bottled drinking water as possible. The locals have immunity to water from sources, but tourists are better off not taking risks. Another one interesting feature African continent: cola in stores is several times cheaper than regular drinking water. From our first trip, we arrived with seven kilograms, because we drank cola most often.

About animals

Once in Africa, stay away from hippos - the most dangerous animals on the continent. They can kill a person just like that, for no reason. If elephants can attack when they feel threatened, then hippos, as territorial animals, can simply attack as soon as they see a stranger in their territory. They run very fast, their sluggishness is only visible.

Once we stood and looked at the hippos, they approached us locals and asked for money. But as soon as one of the hippos turned around, they gave a tear.

I don’t know the exact statistics, but in Africa, hippos are leading among the animals from which people die.

Going on a photo safari in national parks, be prepared that for trying to get out of the car you can be fined about $ 1,000. You can lean out of the window, but you can’t get out of the car and move to the side for your own safety. Wild animals are accustomed to cars, for them it is something inanimate, harmless and unfit for food. Man and machine are one. But as soon as the tourist moves away from the car, it turns into a snack.

Many tour operators offer hunting in Africa, but few people know that tourists hunt baited animals. It is useless to hunt wild animals there. Here, local residents involved in this business, rangers, feed and tame animals.

If you have an extra 20 thousand dollars, you can come to hunt an elephant. In my opinion, all this is very vile and low, because these animals are actually domesticated. This is not the kind of hunting where you need to track down prey, here animals just walk around, not expecting any danger from a person. They don't expect to be shot. It's like killing a cat or a dog in the park.

Those who like to sleep should not go to Africa. To enjoy the local fauna, you need to get up before dawn. Only then can you find all the most beautiful predators and their potential victims in one place. So, for example, a group of zebras not only peacefully coexisted, but was at a dangerous distance from the lions. At the same time, both of them saw each other, but did not make any attempts to attack or escape.

We met hyenas, filmed their angry faces. It turns out that hyenas only attack those who are shorter than them. Therefore, the local Maasai tribes put jugs on the children's heads or put high hats on them.